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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · stand · mug · toast · march · file · clip · race

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. clip — a video
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. march — music
  5. stand — to bear
  6. march — the month
  7. clip — for paper
  8. file — a tool
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mug — a face
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. march — the month
  15. toast — bread
  16. race — a contest
  17. clip — to cut
  18. file — a document
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mug — to rob
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com